”Lord of the Rings” fanatics will get an early Christmas present this year. The extended DVD cuts of the first entries in the fantasy franchise will return to theaters two weeks before the Dec. 17 release of ”The Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King,” according to Variety. ”Fellowship of the Rings” will hit theaters the week of Dec. 5, followed by ”The Two Towers” the next week.

The films will open in limited release – on about 150 screens nationwide – and New Line doesn’t expect to add much to their already formidable grosses, Variety reported. ”These events are produced as a marketing/publicity stunt and not as a revenue-generating opportunity,” the company said in a memo. Still, they probably won’t turn away any cash they do conjure.